The Capital, Bashka
The Jerome family was a prestigious educational dynasty that had produced many outstanding teachers, making them one of the most influential families in the kingdom.
The joke that the king's teacher was higher than the king himself wasn't far from the truth.
The disciples they had trained alone could easily run a country.
Alpheas arrived at the Jerome family's main residence and was guided by a butler through a corridor built in an ancient style.
Though they had known each other for 30 years, this was the first time he had visited her private quarters.
When the butler opened the door, a lavish scene greeted him.
The floor was so clean it reflected his face, and shelves lining the walls were filled with all sorts of antiques.
In the north, a tiger-patterned carpet large enough for ten people to lie on was spread. Given her disdain for fakes, it was undoubtedly genuine. Though, whether such a massive tiger existed in the world was questionable.
A woman sat on a sofa atop the tiger carpet. She was in her 50s but looked as young as someone in their 30s.
She was still beautiful, but in her youth, she had been truly stunning. So sharp and meticulous that men rarely dared to speak to her.
Olivia: "If you're here, close the door and sit down. Why are you standing there like an idiot? Still as foolish as ever."
Alpheas couldn't help but laugh.
Her habit of looking down on all men remained unchanged. Her clear, melodious voice also hadn't aged, making him feel like he'd traveled back in time.
Alpheas: "No, I'm just amazed. I wondered where you were living, and it seems you've brought your temper with you."
Olivia: "You barge into someone's home uninvited and have the nerve to spout nonsense? How would a country bumpkin like you know the value of my things?"
The carpet was undoubtedly top-tier. So, Alpheas deliberately stepped on it with his shoes on.
As the man who had once made the haughtiest woman in the world cling to his coattails, he couldn't resist teasing her.
Olivia didn't scold him. But contrary to his expectations, she looked utterly baffled.
Olivia: "What are you doing? Ah, never mind. Just get to the point."
Alpheas grinned mischievously. She was the same as she had been 30 years ago.
Olivia Jerome.
A publicly recognized second-class grand mage and currently an inspector for the Teachers' Association. Moreover, she had served as the principal of the Royal Magic Academy four years ago.
Alpheas: "What point? I came because I didn't get a response."
Olivia: "What do you expect me to do? You got yourself suspended from teaching, and now you want me to clean up your mess? A rural magic school principal? And a temporary six-month position at that?"
Alpheas: "It's not set in stone. You can stay longer if you want."
Olivia: "Why would I? What reason do I have to leave this fine house and move to the countryside?"
Alpheas: "It'd be nice to grow old together and enjoy some tea."
Olivia's cold anger surfaced, making her look even more like her younger self.
Olivia: "Are you under some kind of delusion? My feelings for you were 30 years ago. And you haven't forgotten how you treated me, have you? Above all, you're not even handsome anymore."
Alpheas: "Haha! That's how it goes. But you're still beautiful."
Olivia gritted her teeth. This was why she hated men. Once they thought they had your heart, they acted like they owned you.
A jobless man who had even lost his position as principal, yet he had the audacity to smile so shamelessly.
Olivia: "What gives you the right to be so confident? I'm a publicly recognized second-class grand mage and a former principal of the Royal Magic Academy. You're a fourth-class mage and a rural school principal. I earn more money and receive more respect. How can you act so brazenly when you're the one asking for a favor?"
Alpheas: "Hmm, I wonder? Maybe because you still like me?"
Olivia: "You… insane… fool."
Olivia's face flushed. To say such creepy things at their age. Had he gone senile? He was spouting words he would never have dared to say in the past.
Alpheas: "To be honest, I didn't want to show you a pitiful side after all these years."
Olivia: "Oh, not at all! I've imagined countless times how you'd come crawling to me on your knees."
Alpheas smiled bitterly. Looking back, her wounds were probably deeper than his.
Alpheas: "Alright. If you insist, I'll ask properly. Should I kneel here?"
Olivia snorted. What did it matter if he knelt now?
Olivia: "What have you been up to lately? Lost your job. Have you really gone senile?"
Alpheas: "Just reading books, taking walks. Talking about this and that with Erina."
Olivia's pupils dilated in shock.
Erina. Alpheas's first and last love. She still lived in his heart.
'He still hasn't forgotten her. What a fool.'
After losing his wife, Alpheas wandered for ten years before returning to pursue his dream of teaching, becoming the student of the much younger Olivia. As the genius who had established the theory of photonics, Olivia taught him with affection.
Affection. That was the problem. She shouldn't have taken him as her student—someone older, more talented, and, above all, more handsome.
Unable to control her growing love, Olivia eventually confessed to Alpheas.
But Alpheas, who still hadn't gotten over his wife, flatly rejected her. From that day on, her life changed completely. She spent countless nights crying over her crushed pride.
What truly angered her was the humiliation of losing the man she loved to a woman who no longer existed.
The fiery love of her 20s had blinded her. Eventually, she even went so far as to vandalize a portrait of Erina in front of Alpheas.
For the first time, Olivia felt Alpheas's killing intent. She clung to his coattails and begged, but from that day on, he no longer treated her as a human being.
If only it had ended there. But Olivia at the time was too desperate and too passionate. She couldn't bring herself to give up on her first love.
But she shouldn't have. Visiting Alpheas's room that night was the mistake of a lifetime.
Olivia: "Don't get the wrong idea, Alpheas. I didn't stay unmarried because of you. I just find men annoying."
Alpheas: "Is that why you collect all these strange things? Olivia, no human can live without love."
Olivia: "That's a lowly emotion. Even back then, I only pursued you out of pride. You were so obsessed with a dead woman that you didn't even notice me."
Alpheas: "Suddenly… I remember that night."
Olivia's face turned pale.
Alpheas: "You came to my room and took off your clothes…"
Olivia: "Enough!"
Olivia shouted, raising her hand. Even though 30 years had passed, it felt as vivid as yesterday. It was the first and last time she had shown her naked body to a man.
At the time, she had been desperate to win Alpheas's heart. But he hadn't even granted her the simple request of holding her.
'You jerk…'
Even now, thinking about it brought tears to her eyes.
To boast about the most shameful moment of her life as if it were something to be proud of. Why was it always the woman who suffered?
'I can't forgive you. I'll make you regret this.'
Having failed to regain control of the situation, Olivia decided to get to the point and picked up a document envelope on the sofa.
Olivia: "Fine. Let's take a look."
The document contained information about Alpheas Magic Academy.
Olivia: "Alpheas Magic Academy. Ranked fourth among the five prestigious magic schools. Eleventh among all special-purpose schools. Not bad for a fool. It was a complete mess when it first opened."
Alpheas: "We got lucky. We had some good students."
Olivia wanted to smack Alpheas's smug head, just like she used to when they were teacher and student.
Olivia: "I've heard the rumors. There's a boy named Shirone, right?"
Alpheas: "You've done your research. Were you planning to accept from the start?"
Olivia: "That's for me to know. What I'm curious about is how you managed to rise so quickly in the beginning. Based on the achievements of the past ten years, you're barely holding onto your position among the five prestigious schools."
Alpheas: "I've done my best to provide a good environment for the students to learn. Isn't that enough? The school's ranking isn't important."
Olivia: "Haha! Still as old-fashioned as ever."
Olivia uncrossed her legs and leaned forward.
Olivia: "Fine. Six months. I'll take the job. I'll make it a much more prestigious school."
Alpheas: "Oh? That sounds ominous. But I'd be grateful."
Olivia: "But there's a condition."
Alpheas raised an eyebrow and smiled. He hadn't expected her to agree without a price.
Olivia: "I have some students I taught when I was the principal of the Royal Magic Academy. Transfer them to your school. Here are their profiles."
Alpheas delayed his answer and took the profiles first.
There were two boys and a girl, all 17 years old. They were top students even at the Royal Magic Academy, the kingdom's most prestigious school.
As he flipped through the profiles, his eyes widened at the last one.
Alpheas: "Dante? Is this the Dante I know?"
Olivia covered her mouth and laughed.
Olivia: "Hoho! He's too good for your school. But since I'm the principal now, it's fine."
Alpheas blinked like a fool. He hadn't expected Olivia to go all out like this.
Olivia pointed at Alpheas and declared:
Olivia: "Transfer Aerhain Dante and two others. That's my condition."
The Mountains of the Wilderness
Five mages sprinted through the rugged mountain terrain.
The party, composed of young men and women in their early to mid-20s, were all certified professionals in their respective fields.
Their target was a bandit hideout nestled in the mountains near the capital, home to a Rank B wanted criminal—a force that couldn't be ignored.
Destroying the bandit group would bring them fame and rewards, but today, their reason for climbing the mountain was different.
Mage 1: "Why is it so quiet? Are they already dead? Even if they're rude, they're just kids."
Mage 2: "Hmph! Who cares? It's not like we killed them. You were there too. Did you see how they looked down on us? Just because they're from the Royal Magic Academy?"
Mage 3: "Right. No matter how immature they are, how dare they disrespect active-duty certified mages? Kids these days are too arrogant. They need to be taught a lesson."
When they finally arrived at the hideout, it was eerily quiet.
Opening the door in bewilderment, they were met with an astonishing sight. Forty Rank B bandits were sprawled on the floor.
Students sitting at a round table greeted them.
Student 1: "Oh? You're late. We've been waiting for a while."
The mercenaries were at a loss for words. They had only left ten minutes after the students. For students to annihilate a Rank B bandit group in that time was impossible.
Mercenary Leader: "Y-you… how did you…?"
Student 2: "Why so serious over something so trivial? You're embarrassing yourselves. Hehe!"
A boy with a muscular build, unusual for a mage, burst into laughter.
He was Bonifar Closer, a student of the Royal Magic Academy.
His tanned skin and sharp features were complemented by spiky black-brown hair swept back.
Bonifar: "Hahaha! You were so confident a few days ago. Did you come late because you were scared?"
A cat-like girl, Victor Sabina, smirked and taunted the mercenaries. Though small for her age, her figure was well-developed, with a slender waistline.
The mercenaries gritted their teeth. Losing to students as active-duty mages was humiliating. Worse, if word got out, they could be blacklisted from the mercenary industry.
Dante: "It's about time you admit it, right? We won."
The instigator of this whole incident, Aerhain Dante, spoke. His ash-gray hair and handsome, intellectual appearance made him stand out.
The mercenaries bowed their heads. For active-duty mages, reputation and achievements were everything. What client would hire a mage who lost to students?
Mercenary Leader: "We lost. Please keep this a secret."
Bonifar: "Huh? Weren't you going to crush us and have us expelled?"
Though trembling with humiliation, the mercenary leader was a man who could face reality.
For the sake of his and his comrades' futures, he had to endure.
Mercenary Leader: "I'm sorry! Please, just this once! You're going to be a mage too, right? Even if we're just seniors, there's no need to ruin our livelihoods, is there?"
Dante shook his head as if it wasn't enough.
Realizing what the boy wanted, the mercenaries flushed red. Eventually, even the four standing at the back bowed respectfully and apologized.
Mercenary Leader: "Please, have some mercy. We have to make a living too."
Finally satisfied, Dante patted the leader's shoulder.
Dante: "Don't worry. We were just bored during the vacation and wanted to have some fun. By the way, weren't you too careless? How did you even get your certification?"
At that moment, the door opened, and a woman entered. The mercenaries reflexively straightened their backs and pretended nothing had happened.
Woman: "Oh my! It's already over. Ah, what a shame."
She had short, curly hair that framed her face. Her playful expression made her look like she was in her early 20s, though she was actually over 30.
Mercenary Leader: "You're… Kilaine?"
She was a reporter who worked for the editorial department of the Teachers' Association's academic journal, traveling across the country to write reports on magic schools.
Her articles were published in a magazine distributed nationwide, so getting featured was a surefire way to gain fame.
Kilaine: "I heard the rumors and came to check it out. As expected, you pulled it off brilliantly. Dante, did you single-handedly create this devastating scene?"
As Kilaine made exaggerated gestures, the accompanying photographer snapped pictures.
The mercenaries were mortified.
For them, the magazine was just a nostalgic memory, but it was also a major publication distributed nationwide. If their disgrace was published, it would bring shame to their families.
Dante: "No, no. How could I have done this alone without the seniors' help? I just wanted some real combat training, and they kindly agreed. I learned a lot. Thank you, seniors."
As Dante turned to them, the quick-witted mages immediately changed their expressions.
Mercenary Leader: "Haha! It was nothing. But you were amazing. Truly worthy of being the kingdom's top star."
Kilaine's eyes sparkled as she turned.
Kilaine: "Oh my! Do you know Dante? The kingdom's most promising talent is truly something else. Even active-duty mages are talking about him, and he's still a student."
Mercenary Leader: "Of course. I sometimes discuss Dante with my colleagues. I believe that someday, Dante will become a first-class grand mage."
Kilaine meticulously recorded the leader's interview.
The magazine was already popular, but on days when articles about Dante were published, sales would increase by 1.5 times.
Dante's appearance was beautiful enough to captivate the hearts of young girls, and the jealous attention of men also played a role.
'Ah, how adorable. He's really grown up well, our Dante.'
Kilaine, who had been interviewing Dante since he was a child, could be said to have risen alongside him. Thanks to Dante, he was now thriving as the kingdom's top reporter.
Dante: "Well, the interview's over, so let's go celebrate! The faculty will treat us big!"
As Dante stepped out of the hideout, a butler from the Airhain family approached, carrying a box.
Butler: "Young Master Dante, Lady Olivia has sent you a package."
Dante: "My teacher? What's this all of a sudden?"
Butler: "I'm not sure… But the family head instructed me to deliver it personally."
Even Dante, who feared nothing in the world, would cower at Olivia's words. She was his teacher and benefactor, who had recognized his talent from a young age and enrolled him in the Royal Magic School. Of course, his classmates Closer and Sabina felt the same.
Dante: "Alright. Give it here."
He took the package and unwrapped it, revealing a thick application form. As he read through it page by page, a deep frown formed on his forehead.
Dante: "What's this? A transfer application?"
Closer and Sabina peeked over his shoulder. Not only Dante's profile but theirs were also attached.
Kilaine clung to him.
Kilaine: "What is it, Dante? Huh? What's going on?"
Dante: "Well, it's… a transfer application. My teacher has temporarily taken on the role of principal at a certain school. She says if we want to study together, we should come…"
Closer: "Then of course we should go. How can we not follow our teacher?"
Sabina: "Where is it? The school isn't listed?"
Dante: "No, it's the Alpheas Magic School. But where is this school even located?"
Students living in Bashka had little interest in information about the provinces. The only thing Dante and his friends knew was that it was one of the kingdom's top five prestigious schools.
Kilaine's eyes lit up, sensing a scoop.
Kilaine: "Oh my, the Alpheas Magic School? And Olivia is the interim principal? This is huge. The Alpheas Magic School is ranked fourth among magic schools. It's located in Creas City. Its most famous alumnus is the current head of the Magic Association, Michaela Gauld."
Dante: "Ah, so Gauld is from there."
Though they were unimpressed by the fourth rank, the name Gauld caught their attention. If a grand mage, one of only five in the kingdom, had studied there, transferring wouldn't be too bad for their reputation.
Closer: "Let's go. School's starting nationwide anyway. We can transfer in time."
Sabina: "Right. The teacher will be taking her position around then."
Dante kept the letter and handed the application to Sabina. He could hear the details when they met, but for now, he was just happy that something interesting had happened in his otherwise mundane life.
As he watched the sunset over the mountains, Dante turned to his friends and smiled.
Dante: "This'll be fun, huh? The Alpheas Magic School."